Decoy



Nov. 30, 1937. G, A BATES 2,100,623

DECOY Filed Aprii 1o, 1936 Citi Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES DEco-Y George A. Bates, Cambridge, Mass., assignor .of forty percent to Charles V.r Lally, Cambridge, Mass., and twenty percent to Herman Albert,

Cambridge, Mass.

Application April 10, 1936, Serial No. 73,628

6 Claims.

My present invention relates to decoys, and more particularly to an improved stuffed decoy and the method of making the same.

The general practice in the past has been to construct decoys from light solid wood or other material of a more or less solid nature. Such decoys are easily damaged and require considerable care in handling to prevent their heads from becoming broken. Also it is practically impossible to shoot live birds after having become intermingled with the decoys without greatly damaging the decoys, their solid nature being greatly aected by a charge of shot. Another diiculty in solid decoys is their Weight and bulk when traveling to and from a shooting blind by motor vehicle.

In my present invention, I have obviated all of these diieulties by constructing a decoy which is practically indestructible; weighs very little and can be packed in a compact manner in an ordinary duffel bag. My improved decoy is also nonsinkable. Shot may penetrate the decoy Without doing any great damage. No special care need be exercised in transporting them from place to place in a motor vehicle or by other means of transportation.

The principal object of my invention is an improved method of making a decoy; Y

Another object is an improved method of ob taining the contour of the back of a decoy;

Still another object is an improved method of making a decoy with a removable and rotatable head and neck portion, and

ther objects and novel features comprising the construction and operation of my improved decoy will appear as the description of the same progresses.

In the drawing illustrating my invention,

Fig. 1 is a developed plan view of the upper half of the casing of the decoy;

Fig. 2 is a developed plan view of the b ottom half of the casing, the same pattern being used for both pieces, and also showing the ballast slug having been attached in the central portion thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the body of the decoy after having been assembled and stuffed but with the head and neck portion removed;

Fig. 4 is a developed plan view of the diamond insert member which is shown inserted in the back portion in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is another plan view similar to Fig. 3

Vmanner of attachingthe neck member to the fbodyY particularly showing the swivelmember ,F

' of the snap fastener. Y 1f lReferring more in detail` to the drawing, I0 indicates the upper portion of the decoy in a developed state. II indicates the lower portion of the decoy. 'Ihe two pieces IIJ and II are cut from the same pattern and both members have a small V section indicated at I2 cut from the front breast portion of the body which when joined together as shown at I3, eliminates wrinkles at this point. The two members I 0 and II are identical 'in outline and when stitched 25 together, as shown at I4 in Fig. 6, form the body portion of the decoy. In Fig. 1, it will be noted that I have indicated a line I5 which starts at a point back from the V cut-out I2 and extends along the central portion of the member I0 to a point adjacent the tail portion of the decoy. 'Ihe purpose vof the line I5 is to indicate a out in the material comprising member I0 into which I stitch a diamond shaped member I6, as shown in Fig. 3. The purpose of the inserted member I6 is twofold. It widens therupper, member I0 at this point and produces the raised portion I'I, shown in Fig; 6, giving the contour of the back of a bird otherwise not obtainable by merely stitching the twomembers 40k I0 and II together. ItY will beV noted by an in'- spection of Fig. 8 that at the same time I obtain a larger capacityabove the stitched edges I8 tending to produce the plumpness necessary at this point with a minimumof pieces. At a point approximately over the breast end of the diamond insert I6, I have provided a female portion of a conventional snap fastener similar to the common type used on heavy removable curtains, suchV as automobile curtains. This snap fastenerV I 9 is clinched through the fabric in any conventional manner as provided in fasteners of this type. The head and neck portion of the decoy is composed of two halves 2| and 20 being stitched together as indicated at 55 22. In the bottom of the neck portion, I have inserted a base member 23 comprising a disc 2d with an attached rim 25. The rim 25 is pierced at intervals along the bottom edge through which a binding cord 2% is threaded passing through the fabriccomprising the neck casing members 2 5 and 2|. The cord 26 is threaded. through the fabric and pierced holes in the rim 25 inthe same manner asan overhand stitch. Other means may be used to join the member 23 to the neck portion if desired it being desirable to avoid adhesives owing to the fact that the decoy is to be exposed to moisture when in use, alsol metal is undesirable on the outer part of the decoy owing to the possibility of reflected light which tends to righten live birds which have been attracted by the decoys. On the inner top surfacef the member 23, I have provided bridge member 21 for the purpose of providing an additional support for the shank of the male member of the snap fastener, indicated at 28, the end of which is upset as shown in Fig. 10.

On the bottom member il of the body of the decoy. I have provided a ballast slug of lead, indicated at 29 in Figs. 2 and 7. The slug 29 is mounted upon the inside surface of the bottom portion i l of the decoy casing being held in place by mean of a surrounding patch 30, the edge of which is stitched through the casing portion H and the edge of an outsidereinforcement patch 3l, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Located between the outersurface of member Il directly under the reinforcement disc 3l is a doubled tape 32 the outer exposed portion of Which forms a loop 33 through which is mounted a mooring ring 34. The ring 34 being used for the purpose of mooring the decoy either separately to an anchor or to a frame adapted tov separate and space the decoys as is sometimes used. v

In transportation, the head and neck portion may be removed for convenience in packing. In actual use, thehead and neck portion may be pivoted on the snap fastener in any position desired giving the decoy a lifelike appearance.

Heretofore, rit has been impractical to construct decoys of fabric and stuff the interior owing to the fact that the fabric casing will leak and the interior stuffing material Will become saturated with water in some cases sinking. Even though the casing be stuffed with ground cork the Water penetrates around the cork particles and although the decoy does not sink it becomes much heavier than normal causing it to ride too 1 low in the water and loses considerable of its buoyancy. Also with the best of care decoys are liable to be hit by stray shot occasionally, therefore making it very diflcult to maintain a water tight casing.

I-Iaving the various difficulties in mind together with the many desirable results to be obtained in a stuied type of decoy, I have discovered that a light duck covering out in the manner above described can be used, without special water- F proongagents being used if the stuing material used comprises moisture resisting material such as Kapok sometimes referred to as Java Cotton. This material is very light and impervious to moisture so that the decoy casing may become saturated with moisture without the packing material absorbing water and defeating the purpose of the invention. The Kapok is firmly compacted in the body and head portions making a resilient although rm packing. When the decoy is pierced with stray shot it is dilicult to detect Where the shot entered without minute examination and water leakage through such holes may be ignored.

Having thus described my invention what I j claim Ias newr is:

1. An improved decoy comprising upper and lower fabric casing members stitched together around their edges and contracted at a point midway around the breast edges, a diamond insert located in the top member of said casing for the purpose of raising and giving contour to that portion, and a stuffed head and neck por.

tion removably and pivotally mounted on the front portion of the top of said casing.

2. An improved decoy comprising upper and lower fabric casing members joined together at their edges and having a diamond insert in the top member, a head and neck portion pivoted to the upper member, said casing and head and neck portions being packed with a water resisting iibrous material, and a ballast slug attached to the inner surface of the lower member of said casing. p

, 3. An improvedl decoy comprising in combination a fabric casing stuffed with waterprcofed fibrous material, ahead and neck portion stuffed with waterproof fibrous material removably pivoted to the top of said casing, and a diamond insert located in the top of said casing for the purpose of giving a natural birdlike contour to the back of said decoy.

4. An improved decoy casing composed of fabric and stuffed with a Waterproof brous material, and a head piece made of fabric and stuffed with waterproof fibrous material and provided with a pivot pin adapted to engage with a retaining clip attached to the body of said decoy.

5. In a stuied decoy, a body member comprising a fabric casing stuied with waterproof brous material, a removable pivoted head member 1ocated on said body member, and a ballast insert slug attached to the inside surface of the bottom casing of said decoy.

6. 'Ihat improved method of making a decoy comprising water resisting stufng material, top and bottom casing members, top insert, head and neck members and neck and top casing attaching members which comprises the stitching together of the edges of the said top and bottom casing members, the splitting of the said top casing member and the insertion of said insert therein, the stuing of the tWo casing members with water resisting material and the attaching of said attaching members to said neck and top casing members.

GEORGE A. BATES. 

